Berlin – Films from Turkey, Israel, Britain, Germany, France and the US are to form part of the main competition line-up for next year’s Berlin Film Festival, organizers announced Wednesday.
The movies unveiled include the directorial debut by British actor Ralph Fiennes of Coriolanus, an adaption of William Shakespeare’s play.
Fiennes also plays the title role in the film, which is to have its world premiere at the Berlinale. In addition, the movie stars Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox and James Nesbitt. German filmmaker Wim Wenders also returns to the Berlinale with Pina, a tribute to Germany’s modern dance legend Pina Bausch, who died last year.
Wenders’ 3D dance movie with Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal follows his hit Buena Vista Social Club about musical life in Cuba. The film will also screen as a world premiere.
Considered one of the world’s top film festivals, the Berlinale opens on February 10 with a remake of the 1960’s western classic True Grit by American directors Joel and Ethan Coen.
The Berlinale has so far unveiled eight of the movies to be screened in its main showcase competition.
Altogether a total of more than 20 movies are expected to be presented in the competition for the festival’s top honours.
As part of the Berlin Film Festival’s co-operation with the Sundance Film Festival, the Berlinale will also screen The Future, a German-US co-production from American director Miranda July.
‘In 2011 we’ll once again be cooperating closely with the Sundance Film Festival not only at the European Film Market but also in the official programme,’ says Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick.
The European Film Market is the Berlinale’s movie business arm. America’s leading independent movie festival, the Sundance Film Festival is to be held at the end of next month.
****